Cherry Red Records The Solo Collection: Expanded Editions

• SoulMusic Records is very proud to present “The Solo Collection,” a first-ever 2-CD set of the two albums recorded by the legendary Gladys Knight in the late ‘70s. Aside from two obscure ‘60s singles, Gladys’ name had never appeared as a solo performer until 1978: from the early ‘60s, with family group Gladys Knight & The Pips, she attained international recognition over a period of seventeen years. In 1973, after racking up a third No. 1 US hit with ‘Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye)’ for Motown, Gladys & The Pips joined the roster of Buddah Records scoring several hits in a row (including ‘Midnight Train To Georgia’).
• In the midst of legal wrangling with the label in 1976 and 1977, Gladys recorded MISS GLADYS KNIGHT for Buddah with producers Gary Klein and the UK’s Tony Macaulay. While the now-rare 1978 LP didn’t yield any hit singles, it did contain standouts such as the dancefloor club play highlight ‘It’s Better Than Good Time’ and a potent medley of Randy Newman’s ‘Sail Away’ and Allen Toussaint’s ‘Freedom For The Stallions.’
• Signed as a solo artist to Columbia Records in August 1978, Gladys recorded and co-produced (with veteran producer Jack Gold) a one-off, self-titled set for the label, released in 1979. GLADYS KNIGHT contains a diverse range of material including the single ‘Am I Too Late’ (a Top 50 US R&B hit), the Sam Dees-penned ‘My World’ and a standout performance of the classic ‘I (Who Have Nothing),’ along with the dance-oriented ‘You Bring Out The Best In Me.’
• This vocally superb set features both albums in their entirety including tracks issued for the first time on a 2013 CD; top grade remastering by Nick Robbins and stellar notes by renowned writer Charles Waring with quotes from Gladys.